A weekend in Windhoek

This weekend my wife wasn't working and we headed for Windhoek, some 350km from Swakopmund. For us, living in Swakopmund at the coast, where the desert is at it's driest, a trip to the interior of Namibia is a treat. It is so green at the moment because the rains have been good this year.

I did a little birding at Avis Dam, to the east of Windhoek, on Saturday. It was a fun bit of birding, but I didn't have much time. I took some pics. I heard a Fish Eagle but didn't see it.

I managed to photograph a few small birds. Avis is great for trying to take photos of some Namibian birds because it's a popular spot for people from Windhoek, walking their dogs, fishing, or just enjoying a bit of nature. It means that the birds are reasonably tame. The birds I include in this post are a Marico Flycatcher [top] and a Pirit Batis [bottom].

If you are planning a birding trip to Namibia, Avis will often be your first birding stop. It's on the way in from the Airport, just east of Windhoek.

On Sunday we headed back and had a wonderful drive. Instead of going down the normal road, we opted to go over the Gamsberg Pass. It was a wonderful drive. The long Gamsberg Pass was really green. It's a long, winding decent into the eastern Margin of the Namib Desert. We didn't see much wildlife, but certainly the whole area has had great rain this year, and wildlife should be abundant throughout the year.

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